MDC Warns
Embassies, Enraged By Zanu (PF) Vote Buying

Harare, January 06, 2011 – The mainstream Movement for
Democratic Change on Thursday warned foreign embassies in Zimbabwe against
continued funding of Zanu (PF) and said it was also incensed that the party
had embarked on a massive vote buying campaign using food handouts and
farming inputs.

The Morgan Tsvangirai led MDC said in statements it
had been dismayed to learn that the Lybian embassy had donated nine tractors
and other farming implements at a function in Chegutu on Wednesday and that
Zanu (PF) politicians were using food, acquired by the Inclusive government,
to campaign for their party.

Mugabe himself has been distributing
millions worth of agricultural inputs in a move described by critics as a
desperate attempt to win voters who deserted him in 2008 in favour of
Tsvangirai and the MDC. Zanu (PF) ministers have been doing the same
distributing goodies, agricultural equipment and food to starving villagers
in the rural areas.

Zimbabwe is expected to hold elections later this
year after the completion of the constitutional process which has been
marred by violence and intimidation by Zanu (PF) supporters. There are fears
that Zanu (PF) is planning a war like campaign to retain to power and are
said to be prepared to use violence reminiscent of the 2008 post March
elections to force people to vote for them.

The MDC on Wednesday
castigated Zanu (PF)’s tactic of vote buying saying they were going against
the dictates of the Global Political Agreement (GPA).

“The MDC is
dismayed by countrywide reports of partisan distribution of agriculture
inputs by Zanu (PF) politicians and Cabinet ministers, which represent a sad
and stark reminder of a culture of patronage and use of food and poverty as
instrument of control and a political weapon.

“Using such base tools for
political purposes is against the letter and spirit of the Global Political
Agreement, much as it is a form of violence against the majority who are on
record as having been impoverished by Zanu (PF)’s history of tyranny and
dictatorship.

“What makes this practice disconcerting is that the food,
seed and input packs were either sourced by the Inclusive Government or
procured with resources from the national budget to which all Zimbabweans
contribute through their taxes. The MDC calls on Zanu (PF) to stop this
criminal abuse of critical national supplies and make allowances for an open
distribution of essentials to all those interested in farming for the
restoration of our food reserves and food security,” said the MDC in a
statement.

“What is clear is that Zimbabweans can never allow themselves
to be dragged to the pre-2008 era. Their collective wisdom, experience and
their new life they are enjoying today, thanks to the MDC, have left an
indelible mark in their political behaviour.

“The people, coming out
of two indisputably, memorable Christmas and New Year breaks made possible
by the MDC’s entry into government in February 2009 -- know that the past
was hell on earth, marked by an energy sapping war imposed by Zanu (PF);
they know of the hunger and disease they endured; and they have not
forgotten the story of a total collapse of their existence caused by Zanu
(PF) greed, avarice and corruption,” added the statement.

MDC said in its statement that while the state
broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, brazenly announced that
the donation was purely for Zanu (PF), the state press tried to down-play
the partisan nature of the gifts despite the appearance of Webster Shamu, a
Cabinet minister, donning a shirt labelled Zanu (PF).

Zimbabwe’s
strict laws forbid external funding for political parties.

The MDC has
been accused several times of being a recipient of Western support. The
party said there was abundant evidence showing that the MDC T was wholly
indigenous.

“We were further dismayed by the involvement of Munyaradzi
Kajese, a civil servant and Zimbabwe’s chief of protocol, in the sourcing of
the Chegutu tractors on behalf of Zanu (PF). Kajese’s contract with
government binds him to serve all Zimbabweans in their diversity. Once
again, we urge the people of Zimbabwe to rise to the moment and demand
access to any foreign donations given to the nation in their name and use
them for collective good,” it said.

Meanwhile Zanu (PF) is claiming
it is broke and is surviving on bank overdrafts which, as of December 2010,
attracted interests and other bank charges of nearly US$1
million.

The party, which unconfirmed reports say its politicians are
raking in millions of US dollars through mining diamonds in Marange and
other deals, is sitting on a US$3,5 million debt, according to a financial
report released at its December conference in Mutare.

The report said
the party had failed in 2010 to generate reasonable revenue from the sale of
membership cards and subscriptions.

A paltry US$166 000 was received from
the sale of membership cards and subscriptions last year

The report
prepared by the party’s Finance department headed by David Karimanzira show
that US$1 171 200 was used last year to pay the about 180 employees and the
amount represented a 102 percent increase from 2009.The party last year
froze recruiting about 142 employees to fill vacant posts because it could
not afford to pay the workers.

The document also showed that the party
used about US$500 000 in hosting high level meetings of organs such as the
politburo, central committee and national consultative assembly.

"These companies think we are still in Rhodesia.
They think we owe them something. We spared them fearing sugar shortages and
hoping they will reform, but we here they are denying the youths farming
land," Kasukuwere told a meeting of indigenisation stakeholders and Zanu
(PF) youths held at the Masvingo Polytechnic College here.

"This
time, they are no sacred cows, if they again deny you access to the
lucrative sugar industry, go and invade them, invade their plots and
offices. We should have taken more sugar production land in
2000.

"The journey has begun, and there is no turning back. Our resources
make sense if they are in our hands. We cannot be strangers at our own
wedding. Kick them out. It is better for one black person, his wife and
relatives to benefit, not one white individual," Kasukuwere said, much to
the applause of the youths, most of who were bussed from rural
areas."

He added; "Triangle and Hippo Valley's arrogance is a cause of
concern. We had to write to them after they ignored our indigenisation
requests. We are going to deal with them this time around."

But
Triangle Limited chief executive officer Loyd Mutsambiwa, when called for a
comment, refuted allegations that they are denying local access to farming
land.

Mutsambiwa refused to comment further, citing politics in the
issue.

The order by Kasukuwere comes barely a month after President
Robert Mugabe threatened the conglomerates over the same dispute. He had
warned the conglomerates he would send Rural Resettlement Minister Herbert
Murerwa and Masvingo Governor Titus Maluleke to deal with them if the land
dispute was not resolved. Mugabe has also warned to take over foreign-owned
firms if sanctions against Zimbabwe remained in place.

Meanwhile in
Karoi Zanu (PF) youths blocked and hijacked a funeral for a party member on
Wednesday causing commotion in this farming town.

The funeral procession
of Aaron Tsongora lasted three hours when drunk youths carried the deceased
body from the home in Chikangwe suburb where mourners were gathered to the
beer hall where he was struck with a brick on Christmas eve. The youths who
were wearing party regalia carried the coffin, toyi-toying bringing business
to a halt before taking it to the cemetery.

"The party youth hijacked
this funeral because as a family we are against politicisation of death,"
said a family member.

Tsongora, aged 31 was part of a 'terror gang' here
involved in looting and violence. Last December he was among five youths in
Karoi accused of selling party cards at an inflated price of US$13 instead
of just a dollar. The case was never reported to police.

Political
activist assaulted and left for dead by state agents in attempted
abduction

Written by ROHR Zimbabwe Information DepartmentThursday, 06
January 2011 10:35

ROHR Zimbabwe has received a shocking report of an
act of political violence from an MDC political activist who was brutally
assaulted by state security agents in a failed abduction plot.Julius
Mutavira Gono (43) of ward 10, Chiredzi South constituency was heavily
beaten in broad day light, left battling for his life while his family and
neighbors watched helplessly, a day before Christmas day. He was assaulted
by three armed state security agents who drove at his house in Madzimure
village, with a Nissan twin cab with unmarked plates. The incident is now in
the hands of Chikombedzi police peace section case reference number 30/01/11
and the notorious CIO agents have been identified as Matambanadzo, Tinago
and Magara all from Chikombedzi police station Chiredzi South
constituency.A medical report carried out confirms that Mutavira sustained
internal back and leg injuries, a swollen red eye and he is still in need of
further medical attention. Mutavira told ROHR Zimbabwe that he was being
targeted because of his political involvement with the MDC party.
Matambanadzo told Mutavira that he was punishing him for the complaints he
is receiving against Mutavira’s involvement in MDC affairs. Julius said he
now fears for his life after Matambanadzo further threatened him that he
will not live to see the next election.The incident took place took
weeks after the visit of war veteran Jabulani Sibanda to Chiredzi South, who
is alleged to be on a country wide campaign to fan criminal activities of
political violence against members of the MDC party. Despite the fact that
the case has been reported to the police, nothing has been done to see that
justice takes its course on the perpetrators who are still roaming
free.ROHR Zimbabwe is raising serious concerns to the coalition government
on the issue of prioritization of the security of ordinary people ahead of
the envisaged elections at the backdrop of organized criminal activities
committed with impunity during the orgy of violence in 2008 election
violence. As human rights defenders we are grossly disappointed by the
brutal conduct, unprofessionalism, lack of independence of the security
agents and uniformed forces who are supposed to be the custodians of the
enforcement of the rule of law and guardians of all citizens regardless of
political affiliation.Politicization of security forces remains a major
threat to the existence of peace in the rural communities. Cognizant of the
fact that security agents played a pivotal role in the wide spread state
sponsored gross violation of human rights in the 2008 harmonized elections,
ROHR Zimbabwe challenges the coalition government to carry out reforms to
ensure the independence of security forces as agreed under article XIII of
the Global political Agreement signed by the three principals.We hold
that if elections are held under the presently constituted law enforcement
structures widely accused of being partisan, there is a danger of a
precedence of March – June 2008 political violence.

Gbagbo
seeks counsel from Zim

HARARE - Embattled Ivory Coast leader Laurent
Gbagbo has dispatched an envoy to seek the counsel of President Robert
Mugabe, as his political life hangs by a thread.

The special
envoy, Zoge Abie, Thursday met acting President John Nkomo in Harare. The
meeting was also attended by acting Foreign Affairs minister Herbert
Murerwa.

Abie, who is Ivory Coast’s Ambassador to South Africa, did not
meet the press as he was reported to have left the country for an
undisclosed destination immediately after the meeting. The meeting was
closed to independent media journalists.

His visit comes after Gbabgo
had said nearly a fortnight ago that he understood how the likes of Mugabe
felt at the prospect of losing power and, therefore, instituted measures to
protect themselves.

"When you go through what I've been through, you tell
yourself: 'Perhaps Mugabe wasn't completely wrong after all'," the Ivorian
president said in reference to how Mugabe clung to power after the 2008
harmonised elections.

However, according to Information Secretary George
Charamba, the envoy had “come to brief the Acting President on the situation
in his country”.

Political commentators questioned why Gbagbo would find
it necessary to brief Nkomo on the situation in his country, considering how
divorced Zimbabwe is from Ivory Coast.

Said one commentator who
requested anonymity: “Unless Mugabe has some special interest in the affairs
of Ivory Coast, I do not see how and why there could be reason for this
visit.”

University of Zimbabwe lecturer, John Makumbe said it was clear
Gbagbo was seeking lessons on how to steal a political victory from the jaws
of defeat.

“He is hoping to learn from Mugabe on what to do next,”
Makumbe said. “He is seeking support from a fellow dictator on how to resist
democracy after losing election.”

Gbago is under pressure to
relinquish power from the world super powers and Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS) which said he must hand over power to Allasane
Quttara who they recognise as the legitimate winner.

Gbago’s latest move
is seen as a way of exerting his own diplomatic pressure in a bid to end the
raging political crisis.

Just before Christmas he sent another envoy to
Cameroon to seek support ahead of an African Union summit to discuss the
matter. He has in recent days sung from the same hymn book with Zimbabwean
President Robert Mugabe saying foreign powers were interfering in Ivorian
internal affairs.

Mugabe has in the past also maintained that problems
that Zimbabwe is facing were caused by former colonial power Britain
together with its European and American allies who continue to meddle in its
affairs.

Gbago like Mugabe in 2008 is facing a legitimacy crisis. He has
since been slapped with sanctions by the European Union while he faces the
possibility of military action if he continues with his resistance to
vacate office.

Zimbabwe
quadruples foreign media licensing fees

Zimbabwe has quadrupled fees for local journalists working
for international media organisations, new regulations published on Thursday
reported.

Zimbabwean reporters working for foreign media will be required
to pay a $400 accreditation fee, up from $100, while their employers will
pay $6 000 annually, more than double the current rate of $2 500
dollars.

The regulations for 2011 will also see journalists working for
foreign media pay an application fee of $100 -- up from $20 -- and southern
African news outfits paying annual fees of $2 000, up from $1
000.

The rising costs are at odds with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's
suggestion last March that he would repeal and amend contentious media and
security legislation by the end of 2011.

According to the government
plan drafted by Tsvangirai, the Access to Information and Protection of
Privacy Act -- which bans foreign journalists from working permanently in
the country -- would be abolished.

Tsvangirai said the act would be
replaced by a Freedom of Information Bill that would allow journalists
greater access to official information.

In 2002 President Robert Mugabe's
government passed an act forcing media organisations and journalists to
register with a government-appointed body, which was considered a form of
censorship. Local newspapers were shut down.

The international media
relies almost exclusively on local journalists to provide coverage from
Zimbabwe. Most foreign correspondents were thrown out of the country in 2003
and banned from holding permanent bases there. -- Sapa-AFP

Welshman
Ncube all set to become MDC-M President

MDC-M Secretary General Welshman Ncube and his supporters are
preparing to celebrate an expected victory for leadership of the party, amid
reports he will stand unchallenged for the party presidency on
Saturday.

As delegates begin arriving for the two day congress that
starts in Harare at the city sports centre, the Ncube camp has already lined
up a number of parties and ordered huge stocks of beer for planned victory
celebrations.

MDC-M spokesman Edwin Mushoriwa said barring any last
minute mishap, the former University of Zimbabwe Law lecturer will be
declared winner on Saturday after garnering eleven nominations from twelve
of their party provinces.

“Masvingo is the only province yet to send
in their nominations but I’ve been informed they will do so tomorrow
(Friday). So far, there are no challengers in this race to win the
leadership of the party,” Mushoriwa said.

In the most significant
political shake-up in the party since the split from the mainstream MDC,
Ncube has assembled a strong legion of supporters from party structures
opposed to Arthur Mutambara, the current president.

Analysts say Ncube
will now become the frontrunner to take over as Deputy Prime Minister in the
coalition government, a post Mutambara is occupying because of his position
in the MDC-M.

Ncube and his supporters are also expected to win a clean
sweep of four other top positions in the party after his top lieutenants
received significant nominations to see them through their
elections.

Ncube’s confidante and Deputy Secretary General Priscilla
Misihairambwi-Mushonga is set to take over his current position, after she
received 9 out of eleven nominations for the post. Goodwill Chimbaira is all
set to win the national chairmanship position after garnering 10
nominations, while party stalwart Paul Temba Nyathi has so far got eight
nominations for the post of Treasurer General.

Mutambara had fought
hard to retain control of the MDC-M but support for him has collapsed in
recent months, as his controversial positions on siding with Robert Mugabe
on some issues in government have taken their toll. He has only received one
nomination in the race for MDC-M Secretary General.

Chinamasa’s
electoral law changes against SADC guidelines

Proposed changes to the electoral laws in Zimbabwe go
against Southern African Development Community (SADC) guidelines on holding
free and fair elections, SW Radio Africa learnt on Thursday.

Justice
Minister Patrick Chinamasa has proposed to ban civic participation in voter
education as well as punish those who announce election results before they
are announced by an election officer.

SADC mediator on Zimbabwe,
President Jacob Zuma of South Africa is reportedly working on an election
roadmap for Zimbabwe, which is modelled along the lines of the regional
bloc’s Mauritius principles and guidelines governing elections.

But
the 2004 Grand Baie Guidelines, adopted in Mauritius, stipulate that SADC
members will uphold full participation of citizens in the political process,
as well as freedom of association, political tolerance, equal access to
state media for all political parties, equal opportunity to vote and be
voted for, and voter education.

President Zuma is also reportedly working
on a document that will see parties contesting the elections in Zimbabwe,
which will lay the basis for establishing impartial, all-inclusive,
competent and accountable national electoral bodies staffed by qualified
personnel.

Other proposals, as published on the NewsDay website on
Wednesday include the appointment of special police liaison officers and
special investigation committees in provincial centres, to handle cases of
politically-motivated violence or intimidation in each province.

The
special liaison officers would be senior police officers, to be appointed by
Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri, who would work closely with the
Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and a multi-party liaison committee during
the election period.

John Huruva, an MDC activist in London told SW Radio
Africa that for Chihuri to appoint liaison officers and investigating
committees is tantamout to ZANU PF appointing its own officers, since the
Commissioner has it on record that he does not and will not recognise any
other leader but Robert Mugabe.

Zanu
PF to set up base in UK

ZANU PF is establishing structures in the United Kingdom and
South Africa, bolstered by what it says is “greater interest” being shown in
its programmes by Zimbabwean exiles.

The party’s commissariat, headed
by Information Minister Webster Shamu, presented a report to the party’s
December conference detailing the move.

“Greater interest in the party,
its ideals and its empowerment programmes has began to show within the
Diaspora community, with growing membership showing in countries such as
South Africa,” the report said.

“In Britain, party structures are being
formed through voluntary action. The commissariat department made
recommendations for the party to acknowledge this positive effort in order
to see how it can support membership building in these countries in a more
substantial way.”

The party maintained branches in the United Kingdom
before independence in 1980 and in the boom years that followed, but its
growing unpopularity decimated the structures and the party line has been
promoted by individual loyalists on British TV.

With relations
between the party's leadership and the UK government remaining tense, Zanu
PF branches being formed in the UK would raise more than an eyebrow.

MPs
warn Biti over Air Zimbabwe

FINANCE Minister Tendai Biti has been warned that he is
imperilling the future of Air Zimbabwe after cutting funding to the national
airline.

A committee of MPs also warns that it is unsafe to land planes
at the Victoria Falls International Airport because of an antiquated
instrument landing system.

Biti halted funding to the loss-making
airline in his budget last year, stating at the time that Air Zimbabwe – one
of 10 state-owned companies targeted for privatisation -- had to find
private partners for its operations.

But a new report by the
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport has recommended that Biti
restores funding to Air Zimbabwe until its privatisation is
complete.

The MPs said: “The committee was informed that there were no
allocations made to Air Zimbabwe Holdings since it is one of the ten
parastatals earmarked for restructuring though no partner has been
identified. Air Zimbabwe need to be assisted as a stop-gap measure,
especially with regards to welfare of workers.

“In the interim, the
committee observed the need for government to assist Air Zimbabwe Holdings
as a stop-gap measure while awaiting proper plans to restructure and to look
for partnership.”

Last year, the government was bailing out the troubled
airline to the tune of US$3 million per month, with Biti announcing in his
budget presentation in December that Air Zimbabwe had made a loss of US$14
million in the first six months of 2009.

The troubled airline was hit
by strikes by pilots and cabin staff last year amid revelations that it is
sitting on a US$64 million debt to its international suppliers.

The
airline recently requested US$500 million from the government to fund the
purchase of four new planes to compliment its ageing fleet.

Meanwhile,
the MPs were also critical of Biti’s failure to allocate money for the
refurbishment of Victoria Falls Airport which the minister has also left to
private partnerships.

The MPs said: “The same applies to Victoria Falls
International Airport work programme that is reportedly waiting ‘takers’ for
partnership. A stop-gap measure is needed for this important international
airport.”

The MPs’ report also carried a dire assessment of a second
parastatal, the National Railways of Zimbabwe, which it said needed urgent
attention.

The NRZ’s capacity during peak periods a decade ago was to
transport more than 18 million metric tonnes of goods, but that is sharply
down to the current 4,000 tonnes.

Zim Actors
Arrested By Police With Help Of Zanu (PF) Mob

Chimanimani, January 06, 2011 - Actors Silvanos Mudzvova and
Mandla Moyo were arrested in Chimanimani during a performance of their
political play, Rituals.

A mob of about 30 Zanu (PF) youths helped 15
police officers to arrest the actors at Nedziwa growth point near Mutambara
mission accusing them of “spreading imperialistic messages to the unpolluted
population” of the mountainous area in the province of Manicaland, eastern
Zimbabwe.

Mudzvova told RadioVOP from the cells where they had been
detained without charge: “We were performing for about 200 people before a
mob singing Zanu (PF) revolutionary songs swooped on us and police had us in
handcuffs before we realised what was happening.

Moyo added: “This
was despite the fact that we had clearance from the Censorship
Board.”

The play, which looks at the issue of violence in the community
was written by the acclaimed Stephen Chifunyise, directed and produced by
Daves Guzha.

It is a musical and inspirational production that features a
line-up of award-winning actors who include Mandla Moyo, Zenzo Nyathi, Joyce
Mpofu, Chipo Bizure and Silvanos Mudzvova and Rutendo
Chigudu.

Mudzvova said he suspected he would be detained before being
“deported” from Chimanimani.

He also suspected the reason for the
harassment was a sign that Zanu (PF) wanted to stifle voices deemed
politically incorrect ahead of 2011 elections.

Charles
Davy threatens to sue Zimbabwean website

Controversial commercial farmer Charles Davy has threatened to sue a
Zimbabwean website, for publishing a story accusing him of ‘aiding and
abetting’ the ZANU PF regime. Davy is father to Chelsy, the ex-girlfriend of
British Prince Harry.

The website in question, Zimdiaspora.com,
published a story entitled ‘Name and shame: Charles Davy ZANU-PF sponsor,
partner, hunter’. The article said “when most white landowners were
scurrying for cover from marauding ZANU PF youths, one Charles Davy was
enjoying himself at Matetsi Wildlife Enterprises. A hunter by day and a ZANU
PF collaborator by night aptly describes the man.”

A six month
undercover investigation by a reporter for the website reveals that Davy
“has funded ZANU PF since 2002 and has partnered senior ZANU PF officials in
illicit rhino horn trade. The officials are Webster Shamu and Emmerson
Mnangagwa,” the report said. The story also accused Davy of funding
Mnangagwa and Shamu’s parliamentary election campaigns in 2005.Davy has
responded to the article saying this is “exactly why I do not give
interviews, they create stories and those stories fuel the fire of creating
more absolute rubbish stories.” He claimed “there are over 400 farmers in
Zimbabwe who have survived land invasions for various reasons, from
geographical position, attitude of local communities, protection from
bilateral investment certificates etc.”

Davy also claims that “prior
to the land invasions in 2000 we had 25 white farmers in our district, 24
are still on their farms because our local district council/land committee
decided that they were not going to disturb commercial farming in the
district. They kicked one off his farm because he treated his labor and the
local community badly.”

Contradicting Davy’s defence however are secret
documents in the possession of Zimdiaspora.com, which expose how he “has not
only funded terror to save his wildlife business but he has treated his
workers worse than animals.” One of his former workers told the website that
“at one time our pay was less than US 15 cents per month and many of us
slept on bare floors without blankets. We couldn’t do anything, because he
told us that President Mugabe knew him. We just suffered.”

Davy
claims there are white farmers who openly support the opposition who are
still on their farms “because of this decision by the local community not to
interfere with the commercial farmers.” He claims his conservancy “just
happens to be one of those farms in a district that is very arid, unsuitable
for agriculture and where commercial farming is undisturbed.” He further
claims to have lost 140,000 acres of prime agricultural land and forced to
sell 10,000 cattle onto a depressed market.

The Zimdiaspora.com story
however alleges that in July 2009 Davy met Mugabe in a meeting organised by
Mnangagwa. Davy has also managed to meet President Rupiah Banda of Zambia
and DRC President Joseph Kabila in the course of his business. The article
says his company HHK Safaris ‘surprised many when they solely landed all
government owned concessions,’ covering areas in the Midlands, Matetsi,
Sabi, Kariba and some parts of Gonarezhou in the lowveld.

Davy is also
implicated in the illegal smuggling of ivory to China and Vietnam using his
Chinese links in Asia. Several senior members of the army based at the
Defence House headquarters are said to be helping him.

“In the operation
army helicopters disguised as army Red Cross ambulances or test flights land
in Hwange National Park to pick ivory belonging to Charles Davy and
partners,” the story claims.The report also shows that commandos hired from
1 Commando Barracks stay at his HKK Safaris when poaching in the Hwange
National Park.

“In many other cases they are given accommodation at
Matetsi or Bubye,” the report says.Davy has meanwhile already sent a
letter to the Zimdiaspora.com website saying: “I will be sending an
objection to this article to the editor and will take advice from my legal
representative about taking the strongest possible action against them. I am
done with journalists making money by writing rubbish about me.”

Short-changed and angry

HARARE, 6 January
2011 (IRIN) - People in Zimbabwe are becoming angry about the lack of small
denominations in circulation and tempers are fraying as a result: A policeman
recently shot dead a taxi assistant for failing to give him the correct change.

After the formation of a coalition government in February 2008, the
hyperinflation-afflicted economy
was dollarized - with the US dollar and
South African rand most widely used, but the Botswana pula, the Zambian kwacha
and the Mozambican metical also in common use.

To avoid disputes, taxis
now give out travel vouchers when they run short of change - and the problem is
not just in the transport sector.

Sipho Mpofu, a public sector employee,
went grocery shopping last week and was given a brown voucher instead of change.
"When I asked them what it was for, they told me that they could not provide me
with change and the voucher worth five rand would allow me to use their toilets
for free. I threw away the offending piece of paper because I knew I was being
ripped off."

The lack of change angers many consumers, who are now
trying to make purchases in round numbers. Shops use items such as tomatoes,
matches, eggs, potatoes, candles, bananas, sweets, pens, pencils or vouchers in
lieu of change.

Mpofu said the use of "unwanted" grocery items was a
"huge inconvenience".

The lack of change angers
many consumers, who are now trying to make purchases in round numbers

"Right now I
have a huge pile of matches, candles and sweets which I have no use for. In
fact, they pose a threat should they be set alight accidentally.” He said he had
to hide the sweets from his children.

Financial journalist Paul
Nyakazeya said consumers were effectively being forced to buy items they did not
want.

"At the end of the day, when calculations are made, it may be
discovered that the goods consumers end up taking as change… make up a
substantial percentage of their monthly groceries... The best way out of this
quagmire for the consumers would be the widespread introduction of an electronic
system to purchase commodities."

But, with frequent power cuts,
especially in rural areas, Nyakazeya acknowledged it would be very difficult to
make such a system work.

Economist David Mupamhadzi told IRIN the
authorities urgently needed to introduce smaller currency denominations,
especially for the South African rand: Many service providers round up the bill,
making goods and services more expensive, eroding disposable incomes and
boosting inflation, he said.

[This report does not necessarily reflect
the views of the United Nations]